Combined desk and invalid&#39;s table



Jan. 5, 1932. F. P. BARBOUR 9 7 9 COMBINED DESK AND INVALIDS TABLE Filed Jan. 12, 1951 gwvgntw 4 1 2% 5. fi ed f? fiaimw1 em d an. 5, 1932 1,839,291

FRED P. BABIBOUB, 01 DENVER, COLORADO E oomsman nnsx AND mvannvs TABLE Application filed January 1%, 1931. Serial- No. 508,109.

This invention relates to improvements in resents the end members of the base and these invalids tables and desks of the type. emhave their upper edges connected by means 'ployed more particularly by people who are of strips 2. These strips may be secured disick and lying in bed, but which can also be rectly to the upper ed es as shown in Fig. 2 i used by a person sittin up, and can be supor they may be notche into the end members ported on a desk or a ta le, or on the persons in sue a way that their upper surfaces will lap. I be flush with the upper edges of the end mem- It is the object of this invention to robers. Each end member is made of two parts duce a com act and simple device that s all 3 and 4. Parts 4 are connected with parts 10 be provide with means for supporting it 3 by means of hinges 5 that permit the lower 0 from any supporting surface, such as the surportions of the end members to be turned inface of a bed or the top of a table or desk wardly into the position indicated by dotted and which shall also be especially well adaptlines in Fig. 3. The inner surfaces of parts ed for being supported on a persons lap 3 are provided with cleats 6 that engage in while he is sitting in a chair. This device is grooves in the side members 7 of the drawer. provided with a movable top or cover member The drawer has a bottom 8 and an outer end that can be raised to any desired inclination member 9 and also a corresponding inner-end with respect to the base and which shall be member which is not shown in the drawings. provided on one edge with a stri that will A cover or desk member 10 is hinged to the 7 old books or papers from sliding ownwardfront edge of the strip 2 by means of hinges ly. Means is also provided for supporting 11 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The hinged the cover in any desired angle with respect edge of member 10 is provided with a strip to the top of the base. 13 that serves to hold books or papers from The device is also provided with a drawer sliding downwardly when the cover member R that can be used for stationery and for other is in inclined position. For the purpose of articles so that these can be kept convenient supporting member 10, I have provided a for use whenever the desk is employed. In means comprising two arms 14 and 15 that order to make the device suitable for being is hingedly connected at 16 by means of a bolt supported on a table or on a bed or on a perhaving a butterfly nut 17. The upper end sons lap, the end members of the base p01- of arm 14 is connected with a bracket 18 setion are each made of two parts hinged to cured to the under side of the cover member gether and foldable inwardly underneath the and the lower end of arm 15 is pivotally condrawer so that they can be folded when the nected with part 3 by means of a pivot 19. device is supported on a desk or table and in There is one of these supporting members at this way the device will be lower than if the each end and after the top has been adjusted side members were not foldable. to the desired inclination, the nuts 17 are Having thus described the ob ect of the tightened, thereby clamping members 14 and invention and briefly described its construc- 15 against relative movement, whereby the tion, the same will now be described in detail, cover member isheld in adjusted position. and for this purpose, reference will be had to When the device is not in use, the nuts 17 are the accompanying drawings in which the preloosened and the cover member is dropped ferred embodiment of the invention has been down soethat it rests on the upper surface illustrated, and in which: of strips 2. When the device is to be used as Fig. 1 is aperspective view showing the an invalid desk ortable by a person lying in 0 device in operative position; bed, the end members are supported on the Fig. 2 is an end view of the device adjusted covers of the bed, one member being on each in the manner shown in Fig. 1; and side of the persons body and the top 10 is Fig. 3 is a section taken on plane 33, adjusted to the inclination found most satis- 50 Fig. 2. factory for reading, if the desk is to serve as n the drawings, reference numeral 1 repa support for a paper or a book. If the device is to be used for supporting a tray the top 10 is laid down onto the strips 2 as a ove explained in which osition it serves as a satisfactory support or a food tray. If the person employing the device is seated on a chair, the device is placed on his lap with the sides 4 extending downwardly on the sides of the persons legs and by exerting a slight ressure against the inner surfaces of the en members, the device is securely held in the lap and can be used for supporting a book or paper or as a writing desk for supporting paper and can also be employed as a drafting table in making drawings or sketches.

The drawer has been shown as slidably connected with the ends, but it is also possible to build a drawer stationary in which case access to the interior of the drawer must be obtained through the opening between strips 2.

From the above description it will be seen that I have produced a Very simple and substantial device that is especially well adapted for use by invalids that are lying in bed and which is also equally well adapted for use by persons sitting up, as it can be supported on the lap in the manner described or supported on another desk or a table. The means for adjusting the inclination of the top makes it possible to so position the several parts that the best inclination for comfortable reading can be obtained when the device is used for supporting a book or a paper.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new is: p A combined invalid table and desk comprising, in combination, a base having two spaced, parallel end members, the upper ends of the end members being connected to a top member, a drawer located between the end members directly beneath the top member, each end member being formed from two pieces connected by hinges, the lower portions of the ends being foldable inwardly towards each other, a cover member having its front edge hingedly connected with the front edge of the top members and means for supporting the cover member in inclined position with respect to the top member.

In testimony whereof I aifix my'signature.

FRED P. BARBOUR. 

